Tightwad's go-to perennial: dicentra spectabilis

It's hard to illustrate just how pretty this perennial is. It's even harder to describe how fantastic it is. One of Tightwad's favs, old-fashioned bleeding hearts are hardy and robust shade lovers, but because they are so versatile, they can do equally as well in partial sun. True herbaceous perennials, they will die back annually but come back even stronger the following year. Last year Tightwad bought three from a nursery that were practically dead. They were so forlorn looking that the cashier gave them away for a dollar each. They were planted with some TLC last fall, and have come out guns a blazin' this year, big, beautiful and spreading well.